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I can’t keep up with all that’s happened this year. In February, we were eating like we were at the Winter Olympics in Milan. In April, we got to feel like kids again, sipping Capri Sun Moon Punch as we watched the NASA space mission. July gave us one of the most exciting summers yet: America’s 250th anniversary and the FIFA World Cup hosted right at home. And of course, so much has happened in the food world. Some trends we were prepared for (hello, high-protein everything, Swedish candy, and Dubai chocolate!)—and some we never saw coming.
So many recipes have gone viral thanks to #FoodTok. Everyone is snacking, crunching, dirtying up their sodas, and sipping on prebiotic drinks. Forgotten ingredients saw a revival and old childhood favorites were redesigned (there’s even a word for it: nowstalgia).
So how is the year stacking up to our 2026 food trend predictions so far? Let’s get into it!
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Desserts and Drinks Went Bananas
Our staffers called it months ago: Banana (especially banana pudding) was destined to be the flavor of spring and summer. With viral recipes for banana bread syrup and tons of banana pudding variations making the rounds online, it felt like everyone went, well, bananas for bananas.
Starbucks released a banana protein cold foam and Dunkin’ launched an entire lineup of banana-flavored beverages, adding banana syrup and banana cold foam into lattes, refreshers and matchas. It was only a matter of time before banana seltzers and banana water came into existence. Once someone creates a banana protein popcorn, I’ll know the trend is on its way out (drop me a note if that’s Khloe Kardashian’s latest Khloud popcorn!).
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Crunchy Is Everyone’s Favorite Texture
There was a point this year where I couldn’t open Instagram without seeing (and hearing) a video for caramel crunch cornflake brownies. This layered dessert bar upgrades brownies with caramel-coated cornflakes, adding crunch and even more sweetness in every bite. The draw is that it’s big on texture in a usually soft dessert. Seriously, you can feel the crunch through the screen.
But that’s not where the crunchy trend starts and stops. We’ve seen extra texture added to all types of dishes, and that’s not even counting the endless riffs on chili crisp, which adds both heat and a bit of crunch to pretty much anything (including a chili crisp grilled cheese). There’s even a low-heat mild chili crisp from Fly by Jing that Taste of Home’s Rosie Siefert can’t get enough of. And editor Lesley Balla convinced us all to try Trader Joe’s salsa macha, filled with crunchy sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pepitas.
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Jarred Pasta Sauce Is Fancy Now
I first noticed a shift in jarred pasta sauces a few years ago when famed Italian restaurant Carbone started selling sauce at Whole Foods. That alone felt like a serious upgrade to the usual options, and signaled that people were willing to spend more on jarred sauce. Soon after, Trader Joe’s cacio e pepe Alfredo went viral on TikTok.
When we kicked off the Taste of Home Awards this year, Lauren Pahmeier crowned Sauz’s salted pistachio Alfredo sauce and Lindsay Parrill gave the honor to Rao’s garlic and mascarpone sauce. As much as we love a homemade pasta sauce, we’re all in on this store-bought trend (plus, you can always make jarred sauce taste homemade).
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Dirty Sodas Aren’t Just in Utah Anymore
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives introduced the rest of America to the concept of dirty sodas: a soda enhanced with cream, flavored syrup and fruit juice. It hit the mainstream so hard that all kinds of taste tests and recipe videos circulated online. Two of the most popular combos are Diet Coke mixed with coconut syrup, lime juice and cream, and an orange creamsicle-inspired dirty soda made with orange soda, vanilla syrup and cream.
Dunkin’, Sonic, Taco Bell (a dirty Baja Blast!) and McDonald’s got in on the trend, too. McDonald’s introduced a whole lineup of dirty sodas and refreshers to its menu. The unanimous fan favorite was the dirty Dr Pepper, with vanilla syrup and cold foam added to the spiced cherry cola. We made our own copycat McDonald’s dirty Dr Pepper soda in case you’re more of a DIY person.
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Boxed Mac and Cheese Isn’t Just for Kids
Basic mac and cheese is so yesterday. Ever since the rise of “nowstalgia” (a sped-up version of nostalgia), one of the biggest pushes we’ve seen is elaborate mac and cheese. Brands are launching boxed mixes with sauces evoking truffles, cacio e pepe, or sweet potatoes, just to name a few. Some now have added protein or an ingredient list that fits gluten-free or vegan diets, and others come in fun shapes—didn’t the SpongeBob mac and cheese always taste best?
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Fiber Is the New Protein
For the past few years, it felt like all anyone could talk about was protein, and brands started putting protein into everything: ice cream, popcorn, cookies, seasoning blends, pizza crusts, candy and even espresso martinis. Then, everyone started shifting their focus to fiber.
Now, when I open any social media app, I’m immediately met with high-fiber recipes, creative ways to use beans and everyone singing the praises of stirring chia seeds into applesauce. Consuming ample fiber started trending at the same time the internet began putting “maxxing” at the end of words to describe total dedication to something, eventually coining fibermaxxing.
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Functional Beverages Are Here to Stay
It’s no secret that younger generations are turning away from alcohol. It’s caused a massive boom in the nonalcoholic spirit world and coincided with a whole new concept: “functional beverages.”
This new category of fizzy drinks is designed to be a healthier alternative to traditional soda, with less sugar and added fiber in the form of prebiotics. It’s become so popular that you can now spot functional beverages from brands like Olipop, Poppi and Wildwonder in every grocery store, coffee shop and fast-casual dining spot. Looking for a new flavor? Writer Melissa Gaman is partial to this limited-edition Olipop.
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Prickly Pear Is the New It Girl
The prickly pear is a cactus that produces fruit similar in size and shape to a pear. But it tastes like a cross between watermelon and bubblegum.
I hadn’t tried prickly pear before this summer, when I went to the Summer Fancy Food Show and saw it used in so many different ways, from beverages like prickly pear seltzers to condiments like prickly pear barbecue sauce and prickly pear pepper jam. I’ve even seen prickly pear ice cream—and if you’re an Applebee’s fan, you might already know the restaurant’s Prickly Plunge Margarita.
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Sour Candies Have Entered the Chat
I absolutely did not believe Pinterest when it predicted gummies would trend in 2026. Then, Swedish candy brands like Sockerbit and BonBon were suddenly everywhere with packages of colorful, chewy, sweet and sour gummies in all different flavors.
The sour gummies seem to be especially popular, which is no surprise since sour is one of the biggest food trends of 2026, from sour-sweet popsicles to sour-coated grapes. I’ve even seen the sour coating for sale on its own, so you can sour-ize anything. Genius!
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Dirt Cake Is So Back
One of my very favorite food trends that sprouted this year is the return of dirt cake. This kid-friendly dessert from the 1990s is made of pudding with crushed Oreos and gummy worms, usually layered in a clear plastic cup to look like delicious dirt and worms. Growing up, it was a staple at birthday parties.
This year, bakers are turning the nostalgic treat into something new. What started with dirt cake cookies quickly turned into dirt cake terrariums and full-sized dirt cakes with gummy worms and edible flowers. I’m calling it now: For Halloween, expect to see cemetery dirt cakes with candy eyes and Milano cookie gravestones (I might just make one myself!).
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Jell-O Shots Are All Grown Up
If you were the person who showed up with a cooler’s worth of Jell-O shots back in the day, rejoice: There’s a grown-up version now. Solid Wiggles started the gourmet jelly shots revolution, turning plain old gelatin into works of art.
But you don’t need to stop by the Brooklyn-based shop to score an upscale Jell-O shot. They’re so easy to make at home. Start with our spiced apple cider jelly shots or margarita Jell-O shots (complete with a salted rim) and go from there.
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The Cutest Trend of the Year: Dot Cakes
The concept of a dot cake is so simple, but people couldn’t get enough. The little cake—layered in a jar with buttercream and a dense, flat topping of rainbow nonpareils—originated at The Dot Cakes bakery and became an instant hit. Suddenly, everyone had to make their own version, from dot cake sundaes and lattes to savory versions with mashed potatoes, Parmesan and caviar standing in for the cake, frosting and sprinkles.
Of course, we had to try dot cakes for ourselves, and we loved them. Getting back to the basics—vanilla cake, buttercream and sprinkles—is good for the soul.
What’s your favorite 2026 trend? Let us know in the comments below!
